Decreased Postoperative Emesis and Opioid Use After Implementation of ERAS Protocol for Free Flap Surgery

In the year after implementing an ERAS protocol for head and neck free flap surgery, we found significantly lower opioid utilization and the unique finding of lower postoperative emesis overall, including in the laryngectomy subgroup for whom emesis-induced fistula is most impactful. No difference was noted in LOS or mortality. To our knowledge, this is the first study of an ERAS protocol for head and neck surgery to show a decrease in postoperative emesis.